It is no secret that diamonds are at their best when they are sparkling. Contrary to popular belief, your diamonds don’t have to stop sparkling when you take them home. There are a few things that can be done to keep your diamonds shining brightly for a long time to come.
As is the case with just about anything that you care about, a little bit of love goes a long way. To keep your diamonds shining brightly, implement any of these methods to have them looking their best.
This might sound obvious, but harsh chemicals can do damage to the shine of your diamond over time. Washing your hands frequently can fit that bill. There are chemicals in sunscreen, lotion, perfume, and cleaning products that add residue to the diamond, which can potentially cause damage.
Whenever you wash your hands, make sure to remove your ring. Just make sure to keep it in a safe spot. The last thing anyone wants is to take their ring off to wash their hands only to find it going down the drain or into a disposal.
Most people don’t know what their setting is, particularly on rings. Knowing that setting can give you a better idea of what it can stand up to. Some materials might hold up better in the face of constant exposure to chemicals than others.
For instance, if you have a ring that has white gold, not only can there be damage done to the diamond, but it can also have an impact on the white gold itself. Not only will your ring not sparkle, but the band can become damaged as well.
The simplest explanation for keeping your diamonds sparkling is to clean them from time to time. Many jewelers offer a cleaning service, but not everyone wants to pay for those cleanings or has coverage that includes them.
So, if you want to keep your diamonds looking their best, a wash every once in a while will be the key. Here are a few short steps for washing your diamonds safely.
Start by clogging up the drain; no one wants to have to contend with retrieving a diamond from their sink. It might sound simple, but it happens more often than you would realize.
Make sure that you immerse the ring in a mixture of mild liquid detergent and warm water. There are more than a few soaps out there that fit the bill because they are non-abrasive. Some may use ammonia, but that is only okay if the diamond was not treated with clarity enhancements. Harsh chemicals should be avoided because they can strip away the protective coating on the diamond.
It is important that, for this step, you use a soft brush. A toothbrush is ideal in this situation because anything hard can leave marks and scratches on the surface of the diamond. You are here to clean the diamond, not leave it with imperfections that could be noticeable from afar.
Let the diamond soak for around 10 minutes before taking that brush to the diamond and giving it a gentle scrub. Do not apply any force during the scrubbing process or you could scratch the diamond and possibly the metal setting in which the ring sits.
Though there are other brushes, a toothbrush is ideal because it can contour over the facets of the diamond. This will give your diamond the best shine possible.
After you have given the diamond a good but gentle scrubbing, it is time to rinse away the soap and water. Put the water once again, swishing it around gently to remove any of the soap residues that may be left over on the diamond.
There is another desired effect to the swishing and that is removing any of the particles and grime that you loosened during the brushing process. Swish the diamond around for a couple of minutes, giving it a good inspection to make sure that you got all of the dirt and grime off of the diamond. Repeat the previous step as many times as necessary, keeping light, gentle strokes each time.
When you are satisfied with the level of cleanliness on your diamond, it is time to take it out of the solution that you have created. Go and grab a strainer, put the ring in the middle, and gently shake it while rinsing it off with warm water.
This process will get rid of any remaining dirt particles as well as the leftover solution that is holding onto the surface of the diamond. If you don’t rinse properly, there could be a buildup of solution over time that can dull the shine of the diamond.
The final step is to dry. Make sure that you use a cloth that is lint-free, something like a microfiber cloth that you would use to clean lenses and use it to blot the ring dry. You don’t want to swirl or drag because it could create imperfections in the diamond or the metal holder.
Do not use a paper towel or something equally rough. Even with a microfiber cloth, do not scrub vigorously. The last thing that you want to do is put all that effort in only to wind up scratching it up. In the end, you should have a bright, clean, sparkling diamond.
It doesn’t take much to allow your diamonds to remain bright and shiny. A little bit of care and protective foresight can go a long way. It can also help to prevent scratches and other issues that damage the quality of your diamonds.
Don’t let your diamonds become dull, robbing them of their beauty. Implement any number of these tips and you will never have to deal with subpar-looking diamonds again.
